Lacson: Corrupt Customs officers' 'payola' enough to cover budget deficit

The weekly bribe money or “payola” allegedly received by corrupt officers at the Bureau of Customs (BOC) would easily amount to billions and in two years would be enough to cover the government’s budget deficit, Senator Panfilo Lacson pointed out Tuesday.

“Open secret. Alam natin ang three o’clock habit, Friday,” Lacson said in a radio interview, referring to the alleged weekend practice at the BOC when bribes are supposedly divided.

Brokers, according to Lacson’s information, usually pay an average of P27,000 to P30,000 for payola per container. At least 10,000 containers pass through the Bureau every day.

“So P27,000 times 10,000, that’s P270 million per day. Payola ito. Tara lang 'yan. 'Pag multiply mo ng 365 [days], easily that’s P98.55 billion,” Lacson said. 

“So kung P98.55 billion a year, payola lang ito...Ang budget deficit natin for this year so far [is] P147 billion. So dalawang taon pa lang, wiped out na ang budget deficit. Eh napupunta ito sa bulsa, di naman sa gobyerno,” he said.

Lacson said this following the Senate Blue Ribbon committee’s investigation on the P6.4 billion worth of shabu seized by the BOC last May.

During the hearing, Lacson questioned why the consignee, EMT Trading, was allowed to pass through the Bureau’s green lane, where containers do not undergo inspection. EMT, as it turned out, was in a scheme called “consignee-for-hire” and was contracted by the shipper through which to send the illegal drugs.

A "broker" named BOC officials allegedly involved in the shipment of shabu in a closed-door executive session with senators after the hearing.

Lacson revealed the "three o'clock habit" at the BOC in 2012. Three years later, he said it was still being practiced at the bureau. —ALG/KVD, GMA News